Integrated steam motor

Abstract

This invention is directed to an engine having an external combustion chamber for creating a vapor under high pressure. The vapor under high pressure is introduced to a high pressure cylinder for moving a high pressure piston. The vapor, upon leaving the high pressure cylinder, flows to a low pressure cylinder for moving a low pressure piston. The pistons are attached by connecting rods to a swash plate. The pistons move in a rectilinear movement. The swash plate converts the rectilinear movement to a rotary movement for a rotary output crankshaft. The external combustion chamber can be fueled by air and also by a solid, liquid, or vapor. The solid can be powdered coal. The liquid can be hydro-carbons or an organic material. The vapor can be one of many such as a product of combustion of hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen can be burned to produce a high temperature and high pressure steam. The introduction of high pressure vapor into the cylinders and running of the engine is self-timing due to the metering system for metering a liquid such as water to be turned into vapor or hydrogen and oxygen into the pressure chamber for burning and conversion into water. A set amount of liquid or hydrogen and oxygen are introduced and made into steam to be introduced into the high pressure cylinder. There is an introduction of combustible material and vapor which is then released to the high pressure cylinder and this process continues. The metering system is mechanical and self-regulatory. One of the main advantages of this invention is that there are few moving parts and a simple control system for controlling the speed of operation of the engine.

What I claim as my invention is: 
     
       1. A process for converting a rectilinear movement to a rotary movement, said process comprising: a. igniting a first combustible material and a second combustible material in an exothermic reaction to produce heat energy;   b. introducing an expandable material to said heat energy to form a vapor of said expandable material;   c. utilizing said vapor of said expandable material to said first piston to move said first piston in said rectilinear path and to produce a first exhaust vapor;   d. utilizing said first exhaust vapor to move a second piston in a rectilinear path to move a swash plate for rotating a crankshaft;   e. utilizing the pressure of said vapor to control the flow of said first combustible material and said second combustible material; and,   f. utilizing the pressure of said vapor of said expandable material to control the flow of said expandable material.   
     
     
       2. An engine having a rotary output shaft and comprising: a. a combustion chamber;   b. a first means for introducing a first combustible material into said combustion chamber;   c. a second means for introducing a second combustible material into said combustion chamber for reacting with said first combustible material in an exothermic reaction to give off heat energy;   d. a first cylinder;   e. a first piston in said first cylinder for rectilinear movement in said first cylinder;   f. an expandable material;   g. a third means for contacting said expandable material with said heat energy to form a vapor;   h. a fourth means for introducing said vapor into said first cylinder for moving said first piston in a rectilinear path in said first cylinder;   i. a swash plate;   j. a first connecting rod operatively connecting said first piston with said swash plate;   k. said swash plate operatively connecting with a rotary output shaft;   l. said swash plate converts the rectilinear movement of said first piston to a rotary motion of the rotary output shaft;   m. a first meter for controlling the introduction of said expandable material;   n. said first meter comprising a first chamber;   o. a fifth means to control the flow of said expandable material in the form of a liquid into said first chamber;   p. a second cylinder in said fifth means and in contact with said first chamber;   q. a second piston in said second cylinder;   r. a first passage in said second piston and operatively connecting with said first chamber;   s. a first valve operatively connecting with said first passage to control the flow of said expandable material through said first passage;   t. a sixth means in response to a change in pressure to move the first valve with respect to said first passage and said second piston to control the flow of said expandable material; and,   u. a seventh means in response to a change in pressure to move said second piston in said second cylinder to control the flow of said expandable material into said first chamber.   
     
     
       3. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 2 and comprising: a. an eighth means operatively connecting with said first chamber to control the flow of said expandable material to said first chamber.   
     
     
       4. An engine having a rotary output shaft and comprising: a. a combustion chamber;   b. a first means for introducing a first combustible material into said combustion chamber;   c. a second means for introducing a second combustible material into said combustion chamber for reacting with said first combustible material in an exothermic reaction to give off heat energy;   d. a first cylinder;   e. a first piston in said first cylinder for rectilinear movement in said first cylinder;   f. an expandable material;   g. a third means for contacting said expandable material with said heat energy to form a vapor;   h. fourth means for introducing said vapor into said first cylinder for moving said first piston in a rectilinear path in said first cylinder;   i. a swash plate;   j. a first connecting rod operatively connecting said first piston with said swash plate;   k. said swash plate operatively connecting with a rotary output shaft;   l. said swash plate converts the rectilinear movement of said first piston to a rotary motion of the rotary output shaft;   m. a first meter for controlling the introduction of said first combustible material;   n. a second meter for controlling the introduction of said second combustible material;   o. said first meter having a first chamber;   p. a moveable piston in said first chamber;   q. a first valve in said first chamber;   r. a fifth means in response to a change in pressure to move said moveable piston to preclude the flow of said first combustible material to said first chamber;   s. a sixth means in response to a change in pressure to move said first valve to allow said first combustible material to leave said first chamber;   t. said second meter having a second chamber;   u. a moveable piston in said second chamber;   v. a second valve in said second chamber;   w. a seventh means in response to a change in pressure to move said moveable piston to preclude the flow of said second combustible material to said second chamber; and,   x. an eighth means in response to a change in pressure to move said second valve to allow said second combustible material to leave said second chamber.   
     
     
       5. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 4 and comprising: a. a metering means in response to a change in pressure controlling the flow of said first combustible material to said first chamber; and,   b. a metering means in response to a change in pressure controlling the flow of said second combustible material to said second chamber.   
     
     
       6. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 4 and comprising: a. a body; and,   b. said first meter, said second meter, said first chamber, said second chamber, said first valve, said second valve, said moveable piston, a means in response to a change in pressure to move said moveable piston, said fourth means and said fifth means being in said body.   
     
     
       7. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 4 and comprising: a. a third meter for controlling the introduction of said expandable material;   b. said third meter comprising a third chamber;   c. a ninth means for controlling the flow of said expandable material in the form of a liquid into said third chamber;   d. a second cylinder in said third meter and in contact with said third chamber;   e. a second piston in said second cylinder;   f. a first passage in said second piston and operatively connecting with said third chamber;   g. a third valve operatively connecting with said first passage to control the flow of said expandable material through said first passage;   h. a tenth means in response to a change in pressure to move the third valve with respect to said first passage and said second piston to control the flow of said expandable material; and,   i. an eleventh means in response to a change in pressure to move said second piston in said second cylinder to control the flow of said expandable material into said third chamber.   
     
     
       8. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 7 and comprising: a. a metering means in response to a change in pressure controlling the flow of said first combustible material to said first chamber; and,   b. a metering means in response to a change in pressure controlling the flow of said second combustible material to said second chamber.   
     
     
       9. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 8 and comprising: a. a third cylinder;   b. a third piston in said third cylinder for rectilinear movement in said second cylinder;   c. a twelfth means for conveying said vapor from said first cylinder into said third cylinder for moving said second piston in a rectilinear path in said third cylinder;   d. a second connecting rod operatively connecting said third piston with said swash plate;   e. said swash plate converts the rectilinear movement of said third piston to the rotary motion of said rotary output shaft; and,   f. a thirteenth means for allowing said vapor to leave said third cylinder.   
     
     
       10. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 7 and comprising: a. said tenth means being a spring;   b. said eleventh means being a spring;   c. a twelfth means for regulating the stroke of said second piston; and,   d. a thirteenth means for adjusting the tension on said tenth means for influencing the opening and the closing of said third valve and the flow of said expandable material from said third meter.   
     
     
       11. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 10 and comprising: a. a third cylinder;   b. a third piston in said third cylinder for rectilinear movement in said second cylinder;   c. a fourteenth means for conveying said vapor from said first cylinder into said third cylinder for moving said second piston in a rectilinear path in said third cylinder;   d. a second connecting rod operatively connecting said third piston with said swash plate;   e. said swash plate converts the rectilinear movement of said third piston to the rotary motion of said rotary output shaft; and,   f. a fifteenth means for allowing said vapor to leave said third cylinder.   
     
     
       12. An engine having a rotary output shaft and comprising: a. combustion chamber;   b. a first means for introducing a first combustible material into said combustion chamber;   c. a second means for introducing a second combustible material into said combustion chamber for reacting with said first combustible material in an exothermic reaction to give off heat energy;   d. a first cylinder;   e. a first piston in said first cylinder for rectilinear movement in said first cylinder;   f. an expandable material;   g. a third means for contacting said expandable material with said heat energy to form a vapor;   h. a fourth means for introducing said vapor into said first cylinder for moving said first piston in a rectilinear path in said first cylinder;   i. a swash plate;   j. a first connecting rod operatively connecting said first piston with said swash plate;   k. said swash plate operatively connecting with a rotary output shaft;.   l. said swash plate converts the rectilinear movement of said first piston to a rotary motion of the rotary output shaft;   m. a pressure vessel;   n. said pressure vessel and said combustion chamber being in an operating relationship for the transfer of heat energy from the combustion chamber to the pressure vessel;   o. fifth means for introducing said expandable material into said pressure vessel;   p. said fifth means being a first meter for controlling the introduction of said expandable material into said pressure vessel;   q. said first meter comprising a first chamber;   r. a sixth means for controlling the flow of said expandable material in the form of a liquid into said first chamber;   s. a second cylinder in said fifth means and in contact with said first chamber;   t. a second piston in said second cylinder;   u. a first passage in said second piston and operatively connecting with said first chamber;   v. a first valve operatively connecting with said first passage to control the flow of said expandable material through said first passage;   w. a seventh means in response to a change in pressure to move the first valve with respect to said first passage and said second piston to control the flow of said expandable material; and,   x. an eighth means in response to a change in pressure to move said second piston in said second cylinder to control the flow of said expandable material into said first chamber.   
     
     
       13. An engine having a rotary output shaft according to claim 12 and comprising: a. said seventh means being a spring;   b. said eighth means being a spring;   c. a ninth means for regulating the stroke of said second; and,   d. a tenth means for adjusting the tension on said sixth means for influencing the opening and the closing of said first valve and the flow of said expandable material from said fourth means.   
     
     
       14. In combination, a. an integrated steam motor with a stator having a plurality of cylinder liners inserted into a common revolver barrel-like block inside which heat energy is converted into mechanical energy by the formation of a vapor identified as a working medium exerting pressure on sliding pistons inside of said cylinder liners and said pistons connecting with a crankshaft with a single crankpin by means of connecting rods and a swashplate;   b. said crankshaft provided with bearings for rotation inside said stator;   c. said pistons being of a plurality of sizes corresponding to their relation to a number of expansions of a working media inside said cylinder liners;   d. a distributor for said working media and operatively connecting with said cylinders and said pistons;   e. a toroidal pressure vessel attached directly to said stator to provide said working media under pressure to said pistons and to said cylinders according to a timing provided by said distributor;   f. said distributor solidly connected to said crankshaft to provide a precise follow-up drive for said distributor of said working media under pressure to said cylinders and to said pistons;   g. said distributor being turned by said crankshaft operating a plurality of said working media under pressure admission valves as means of admission of said media to said cylinders and to said pistons;   h. said toroidal pressure vessel being capable of producing a flash steam when heated by a fuel burner externally to said toroidal pressure vessel while water is being injected internally into said toroidal vessel;   i. a furnace case around said toroidal pressure vessel being equally useful for the containing of burnt hot gases and directing the burnt hot gases into an exhaust system and for containing and directing a flow of cooling air around said toroidal pressure vessel when heating for steam generation is achieved by burning a gas mixture inside said toroidal pressure vessel to form said vapor identified as said working medium;   j. said furnace case being adaptable to conventional burners for a variety of gaseous, liquid and solid-liquified fuels;   k. said toroidal pressure vessel being adaptable for steam generation by igniting and burning internally in said toroidal pressure vessel such mixtures as hydrogen and oxygen for producing steam as a product of said hydrogen and oxygen combustion identified as said vapor identified as said working medium;   l. said toroidal pressure vessel being adaptable to a combination of water injectors and gas mixture burner for better fuel economy;   m. said toroidal pressure vessel for flash steam generation also being adaptable for the evaporation of other mediums and which said other mediums may provide better expansion characteristics than conventional steam;   n. an automatic water injector for steam generation being inside said toroidal pressure vessel and said automatic water injector also acts as a governor of revolutions per minute of said output shaft;   o. said automatic water injector being independent of any external power supplies and controls in its performance other than starting and stopping the flow of material to said toroidal pressure vessel;   p. an hydrogen-oxygen mixture burner adaptable to said toroidal pressure vessel for working with at least one said automatic water injector;   q. said hydrogen-oxygen mixture burner simply constructed and easily adjustable for a desired power output and speed of said crankshaft rotation; and   r. said combination comprising an integrated steam motor.   
     
     
       15. An integrated steam motor having a toroidal pressure vessel for generating vapor and comprising: a. a means of adapting to a water injector and to components of water for generating said vapor;   b. a means for connecting to respective cylinders to pass through said vapor under pressure into a high pressure cylinder;   c. a means of enhancing the efficiency of heat transfer between the heat generated outside said toroidal pressure vessel and an evaporating substance inside said toroidal pressure vessel;   d. having reciprocating pistons incorporated with pressure relief valves for vapor scavenging purposes;   e. a means of opening of said relief valve in response to pressure drop at the end of working stroke of the piston;   f. a means of integration of said relief valve with said piston into a working unit; and,   g. a means for effective passage of working vapor after opening of said relief valve from said cylinder into vapor exhaust passages.   
     
     
       16. An integrated steam motor having a toroidal pressure vessel for generating vapor and comprising: a. a means of adapting to a water injector and to components of water for generating said vapor;   b. a means for connecting. to respective cylinders to pass through said vapor under pressure into a high pressure cylinder;   c. a means of enhancing the efficiency of heat transfer between the heat generated outside said toroidal pressure vessel and an evaporating substance inside said toroidal pressure vessel;   d. having an automatic water injector for injection of water into the toroidal pressure vessel to produce flash steam;   e. a means of integrating into a pressure sealed assembly with said toroidal pressure vessel;   f. a means of automatic response to pressure drop in said toroidal pressure vessel;   g. a means of pressure sealing between moving parts in said integrated steam motor;   h. a means of precise measuring and regulating the amount of the injected water; and,   i. a means of adjusting the spray of water.   
     
     
       17. An integrated steam motor having an automatic hydrogen-oxygen mixture burner and comprising: a. a means of adapting to a water injector and to components of water for generating said vapor;   b. a means for connecting to respective cylinders to pass through said vapor under pressure into a high pressure cylinder;   c. a means of enhancing the efficiency of heat transfer between the heat generated outside said toroidal pressure vessel and an evaporating substance inside said toroidal pressure vessel;   d. an automatic hydrogen-oxygen mixture burner;   e. a means of integrating into a pressure sealed assembly with said toroidal pressure vessel;   f. a means of automatic response to pressure drop in said toroidal pressure vessel;   g. a means of precise measuring liquid hydrogen and oxygen for proper and efficient burning;   h. a means for igniting of said mixture of oxygen and hydrogen once injected into said toroidal pressure vessel; and,   i. a means of effective seal-off oxygen from hydrogen and both from pressure within said toroidal pressure vessel.